Newton's proposed four-story commercial building at 74 Needham Street stalled again Tuesday, Aug. 25. The Land Use Committee voted 8-0 to hold the petition after staff discovered the public notice omitted required relief for two retaining walls on the site.

Senior Planner Zach Melcher told the committee the site contains two retaining walls exceeding four feet in height. "This relief wasn't included in the original notice, so the item will have to be held and re-noticed," Melcher said at the Aug. 25 meeting.

The project, filed by Newton Design Center LLC and represented by attorney Laurence Lee, would raze the existing single-story commercial building and replace it with an 18,901-square-foot, 48-foot-tall structure featuring design showrooms, offices and 14 underground parking spaces.

The Newton Historical Commission previously determined the existing building is not historically significant.

The proposed building is double the allowed height in the MU2 zoning district, which permits two stories and 24 feet. It also requires a waiver of 47 parking stalls because the zoning code requires one space per 300 square feet of retail showroom.

Lee told the committee the Design Center would operate by appointment, with 10 to 12 employees on site at a time. He argued the zoning ordinance does not account for appointment-only businesses and overstates the parking demand.

Committee Chair Andrea Kelley said she appreciates the project's commercial contribution to Newton and called the design "handsome." She noted it has relatively low intensity for the lot size and would not bring uncontrollable traffic to Needham Street.

The petition was also held 6-0 at the Aug. 4 meeting after the petitioner requested a continuance. A Sept. 15 hearing notice now lists the corrected relief language, including retaining walls, and fixes the ward designation to Ward 8.

Oakdale Road addition held over FAR concerns

The committee also voted 8-0 to hold petition #257-26. Homeowner Kobe Thys seeks to partially demolish and add a three-story addition to the single-family home at 99 Oakdale Road in Ward 6.

The project would increase the floor area ratio (FAR) from 0.44 to 0.68, well above the 0.48 maximum allowed. Chief Planner Cat Kemmett said the existing home is 2,826 square feet and the proposal would bring it to 4,344 square feet on a 6,432-square-foot lot.

One councilor called the 0.68 FAR "a dealbreaker" and said she could not support the project in its current state. Neighbor David Schactman of 111 Oakdale Road opposed the project, saying the area is one of the few remaining affordable parts of Newton.

Designer Robert Brainard acknowledged the petitioners are open to reducing the FAR. He said he does not think they can reach 0.48 but believes they can reach "a more manageable and approvable proposal."

395 Lexington Street approved

The committee unanimously approved petition #258-26, a request by the Anna M Likely Trust to raze the existing dwelling at 395 Lexington Street in Ward 4 and construct four residential units.

The next Land Use Committee hearing is Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers at Newton City Hall.